The woman in the river
by Mr. Pepper
Summary: Hinata is a girl with a past unknown to everyone even to her. But past never stays behind and when she seems to finally find happiness and the perfect man it came back. Betrayal, love, hate and war will surround her. Will she be strong enough?


**Hey! This is my first fic. **

**This is like a chapter/prologue. Review to tell me what you think. **

**Chapter 1 - ****Under the full moon**

Under the full moon the shadows of the trees stretched into the valley. Wounded and confused I waited for his return. I knew he would not return.

The moon lightened up the burned trees.

It smelled like blood and burnt wood. The pace where I spent my childhood was in ruins, only a world of ghosts. I was scared and my senses were dull but the wet, fresh wind of the morning brought me back to reality. There were still flames in the center of the village but the screams had stopped. Yesterday people screamed with hate, fear and pain. They cursed Orochimaru. The little circular houses had been torched and some were still burning. I was the only one left.

I started walking to the stream. I walked faster when I began hearing the sound of running water. I could hear horses and armors moving in the distance. They possibly were on the other side of the hill and I was scared. Maybe they would see my white clothes under the bright winter moon when they reached the top. If that happened everything would have ended.

Far away a wolf howled.

Y started running desperately to the stream. The trees hid my figure but I fell to the ground. A little tree extended his branches over the river. I hid under it.

On the top of the hill, the warriors stopped and smelled the wind. The full moon high on the sky filled the valley with a pale white light.

I left my hiding place and moved to the rock behind the waterfall. It was possible that when I moved the soldiers would see me but it wouldn't matter anymore. The cold water harmed my hands, my arms and covered my clothes. After doing what Jiraya told me I pushed the rock with enormous effort and placed the cup inside. I closed the rock again, my breath labored for the effort. Behind me the water kept on falling covering my breath. Slowly, I walked out of the water. The moon reflected on my dark hair turning it into silver. I could see my face on the water, full of cuts and bruises. I closed my eyes and listened to the calming sound of running water. I heard a sound and opened my eyes just in time to see the reflection of a warrior's armor in the water. Behind me I heard a victorious cry and I felt a metal gloved hand grabbed my by the waist. For a second I saw the moon shining in the water, a hard hit on the head and everything ended for me.

**-XxX-**

Pain and cold woke me up. There was blood dripping from my tied hands. I heard strange voices talking on a language unknown to me. I was just another package on the cart along with sacks of acorn and rye, the rye stolen from the village of Karai, from my home and my people.

As I recovered my awareness, the anguish returned to my heart. The moon was beginning its path down the western part of the sky. I sent a prayer to the deity of the night. Nest to the cart a mounted soldier with a helmet ended in a tip advanced. He was a sturdy, bearded man. He's looking at the front, to the other men escorting the cart but perceiving my scrutiny, he turned his head to me. I closed my eyes and heard the crack of a whip and a yell I couldn't understand. A strong voice stopped the whip and my captor complained angrily. I heard guffaws and murmurs. I fell into unconsciousness and through my mind crossed images of a past that won't return. I had nothing left, broken inside and hurt outside. I expected nothing from the future. I knew where the men that destroyed my village were taking me. On their helmets, the last piece of moonlight shone.

The rocking of the cart seemed endless. A cold, gray day filled with storm clouds started. The course was slow. With my stiff muscles I couldn't feel anything. I tried to remember the past but most of it was hazy.

There were rumors of war on the village. Still, nothing prepared us for the barbarity that would fall upon us. The men kept on hunting and women kept on farming. That same day I looked for plants on the woods for a potion to heal the pains of an old man. There were kids playing on the entrance of the village. Free.

After many hours of travelling, night fell again. My kidnappers stopped next to a little river. The driver stopped the cart. I sighed glad at the stopping of the rocking but then a new dark fear covered me. What would those unknown men do to me?

While they set up the cam, my guards seemed to forget about me. I don't know who they are. Next to me, some warriors chat, unbothered by my presence. I started to understand some words of their language. Their conversation is slow and calmed, they were not screaming like in the road. One of the chiefs talked to a subordinate.

I needed someone with me. I missed Jiraya. When I was a little girl I thought he would live forever. Years before, when I discovered the destiny of men, he promised me not to die. And now… I didn't know if he was still among the living and I had to continue, alone, surrounded by strangers, with a destiny that could be worse than death.

I heard steps coming to the cart where I was trying to hide in plain sight. A man of around fifty years old, with a dark beard, dressed with pelt and a shiny helmet broke the bindings on my feet. By his clothes, I guessed he was a servant. He pushed me to the fire, and gave me water. He undid the ropes on my hands and after an order from his bosses; he ties my arms around a tree. I could feel my joints cracking. I was surrounded by soldiers laughing without any compassion. One of them lifted my chin to see my face better and I looked at him defiant and turned my head violently. When I turned my head my hair brushed him. He grabbed it with his hand and I tried to bite him. The man laughed and, on a way that I could understand, told me

"Orochimaru will tame you."

One of the captains called them to order and the servant walked away still laughing.

The men wore short tunics with dark cloaks covering their shoulders. They had light shields and covered their legs with straps of wool. Some of them had bronze helmets; the chiefs, silver crests.

**-XxX-**

After the attack to the village, I thought they wouldn't come back, but they returned because they were looking for something in the ruins and they found me on the river. Maybe they were looking for me.

They ate an acorns stew around the fire and started drinking an alcoholic beverage. Someone started playing a flute and a drum. A savage and rhythmic melody. Laughs and strong words. Two men fought. A warrior stopped them and they, maybe to distract the captain, turned their heads to me joking. They all laughed and made bets over me.

I looked at the moon and a pray for the mother goddess came from my heart. My breath became labored for the fear. When they were close, just a couple of steps away, I entered in trance like many times before. The druid would have gently taken my head, massage my temples and would have calmed my alarmed senses. But I was alone and the trance continued. I saw a great light, like a flash of white that covered everything. The light turned into geometric figures and the loved figure of a white haired man appeared. I started to convulse and I turned my head to the moon. I raised my left arm, which with the strength of the trance broke the ropes, and pointed to the heavenly body of the night. Before I lost consciousness completely I saw the faces of the barbarians filled with horror and astonishment.

When I woke up, my limbs were aching and stiff. My hands were lying on the ground. I sat and the soldiers formed a circle around the tree at a sensible distance of me. A nervous laugh filled me and a tense silence covered them. The moon shone high on the sky with a thin cloud crossing it. The men are afraid of me and the moon. Still shaking, I stood up and a breeze made my white clothes to fly on the wind. The warriors ran away scared.

**So... how was it?**

** Ok so just in case you were wondering the girl is Hinata. Things will start clearing up in next chapter. Sorry if anyone seems OOC. What else?... hm no I think that pretty much covers it. **

** Next chapter's title - The wounded man**

**Have a nice day... existance... whatever. **


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